The Opelousas courier., 1887-11-19
BIRDS THAT EQT soWETHING.
Some Wonderful %1ucated Parrots In
6nskaris.

Some wonderful Xa1acsted Parrots in
La Nature.
An exksntfon Of educated parrots recently
held III Saris showed very clearly to whata
bEof being trained. Their stage was a long
LTRle, at one end of which were perches, on
Which were grouped half a dozen parrots.
Four of these were coCkatoos-Wh1te, with
Yellow ~crests; ahe other two we're gray par
rots, with the neck and under parts rose
color.
the bidding of their owner, 81. Abby, are the
following g: Two fixed bars on upright, sup
ports are placed on the table; a parrot climbs
| upon ore of them, turns a soinersault, Keeps
| second bar, goes through the same exercise.
| Their owner then calls Tom, q small whita
parrot, who comes toward him as if about to
| again, holding dow his head and shaking
| his wings in a grotesque way. Tom is evil
IDENTIFY the buffoon o. the troupe, A bell ia
then brought, with a handle which forms 8
lever: a parrot advances, and, putting one
foot on the lever, rings the bell. The trainer
asks tie audience what number of rings
they wish for; some one exciaims, ...'SevenEH
and the parrot rings the bel, seven times,
The bird is then asked how much does
three times three make, and it replies by
ringing the bell nine times. A perch is then
placed on the table in the form OF q see-saw,
at each end of which. a gray parrot perches,
! and IN the centre, just above the pivot,
Jumps a magnificent white parrot named
Charley. the principal one IN the troupe.
This parrot, throwing the weight of his body
excessively to right and left Of the pivot,
rocks the see-saw rapidly. To see the ANNA
ton of this bird during the performance mi
would suppose that he took q real pleasure III
rocking his companions.
kU The same bird then goes through another
exercise. Four fxgstatfs are set up on the
table, and at the foot of each is a flag at
tached to a cord, which passes over q pulley
at the top; The flags are English, French,
asks for the French flag. Charley advances,
draws himself up, erecting his bright yellow
crest, and. spreading his wings, suddenly
seiZes the line with his beak, and then, alter
nAtely with beak and foot. haLls 6p the flag
as o sailor would, hand over hand, unit. it is
fast at the top. He then goes through the
same PERFORMANCE with tn other flags IN
succession. "
Several letters of the alphabet are placed
upright on the table, and Charley is again
brought forward, piuming himself as before.
A spectator calls for a letter. Charley
E.hesitates, inclines his head Or one side, APP
pears TO reflect, then suddenly tdvances and
picks up the letter named, repea ing the per-
Torrance with other letters when called for.
Suddenly little Tom Jumps of his perch.
runs up, seiZes the remaining letters one
after another, and pitches them away on the
floor. Another parrot then appears, and at
the word of command throws several sOmer~
sa1lts on the table. Two others follow, and
waltz slowly round while the music plays.
OF all parrots NJ. Abby considers the white
cockatoos the most gifted in regard to agility
and capapility for learning tTLcks-be1ng, IN
fact, aerobats by nature. They are very
slow in learning to talk. but they are easily
tanned, and understand and do what they are
told.